Family
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September 06, 2024
Unsuccessful parenting appeal: Attempting to rely on a post-separation status quo, ‘fresh evidence’
In the recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision of Duwyn v. Ross, 2024 ONCA 637, the appellant unsuccessfully sought to appeal an order made by Justice Michael Valente of the Superior Court of Justice dated May 26, 2023. The appellant also sought to introduce fresh evidence on appeal, which was ultimately dismissed by the court. The case is a helpful reminder to family law counsel that litigants cannot rely on a “parenting status quo” created post-separation and that fresh evidence is not “new” evidence or a reiteration of the evidence led at trial.
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September 06, 2024
4 new judges appointed to Ontario Court of Justice
The Ontario government announced in a Sept. 4 news release the appointment of Dana Irene Haklander, Veronica Katherine Judith Puls, Kelly Marie Slate and Erin Samantha Thomas as judges of the province’s Court of Justice, effective Sept. 12.
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September 05, 2024
After navigating choppy waters, Alberta trumpets ‘collaborative’ new legal aid governance deal
A new five-year legal aid governance deal in Alberta appears to have calmed, at least for now, the choppy waters the provincial law society and Legal Aid Alberta (LAA) encountered in late June when the Alberta government abruptly changed its negotiating stance at the 11th hour, raising the prospect that legal aid certificates could no longer be issued once the predecessor governance agreement expired in July.
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September 05, 2024
Ontario Ombudsman launches investigation into placement of children, youth in unlicensed settings
Ontario ombudsman Paul Dubé has launched an investigation into child welfare agencies placing young children and teens in motels, hotels offices and trailers.
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September 04, 2024
Immigration officials likely breached non-refoulement duty by ‘improper’ deportation of Rwandan
A judge has reiterated to immigration authorities that when the Federal Court issues a production order before the court decides whether to judicially review the refusal of an application for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) it is a clear signal that the court is likely to grant leave and immigration officials should therefore “scale down” their enforcement strategies, not escalate them via an “improper” and precipitous deportation of a failed asylum claimant.
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September 04, 2024
3 new justices appointed to Alberta Court of Justice
The government of Alberta announced in an Aug. 28 news release the appointment of James Sawa, Susan Borsic and Gina Toni as justices to the province’s Court of Justice.
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September 03, 2024
Yukon report outlines lawyer shortage, lack of legal aid help
Yukon’s law society is hoping the territory’s natural beauty will lure more lawyers into living and working there, says an official. The territory is experiencing a shortage of lawyers in its private bar as is laid out in a recently released report from the Law Society of Yukon (LSY).
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September 03, 2024
New assistant chief justices appointed to Alberta Court of Justice
The government of Alberta announced in an Aug. 28 news release the appointment of Eric Tolppanen and Eric Brooksas assistant chief justices to the province’s Court of Justice.
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August 30, 2024
Report: Nova Scotia workers’ compensation system needs to cut costs, time lost to injury
Nova Scotia’s workers’ compensation system (WCS) should review its cost structure and introduce penalties for workers and employers who don’t co-operate in the return-to-work process to make the underfunded system more sustainable, according to a review of the system.
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August 30, 2024
Time to rethink life with no parole | Norman Douglas
On April 3 and 4, 2024, I was enjoying a momentous weekend. I had driven to Wawa and Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. from my home in Collingwood for three book signings. It was during the second one on the Saturday morning when I was shocked.